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Marj's Coconut Fibre Roosting Hut
Marj's Coconut Fibre Roosting Hut
Ships within 2–3 days
30-day money-back guarantee
Free shipping across Canada with tracking
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Marj's Coconut Fibre Roosting Hut
Packed by Hand in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Marj Fraser, 72, packed coconut fibre into seats and mattresses for 37 years. Her shoulder won’t let her lean on the fibre anymore. These 388 huts are the last she will ever make.
“The birds bring their own warmth. My job is to keep the wind from taking it.”
– Marj Fraser, making roosting huts since 1996What’s in the box
Why the birds make it to morning
Fibre laid in by hand, layer by layer, and pressed tight like a church pew. One door, no gaps. The prairie wind stays outside.
The roof reaches past the walls on every side. Snow and meltwater fall off the edge, not into the door.
Only about a hand wide inside, on purpose. A small space fills up with the birds’ own warmth. Big boxes stay cold.
Loose fibre inside for the birds to push into, just like the four chickadees in Marj’s old bus seat in 1996.
The cotton cord is already tied on. Hang it on a fence, a branch, a hook or under the eaves. No drill, no tools.
Birds pick their winter sleeping spots in late fall. A hut that goes up now gets found before the deep cold.
Birdhouse or roost hut? Not the same thing
| Ordinary birdhouse | Marj’s roost hut | |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | Raising chicks in spring | Sleeping through winter nights |
| Inside | Roomy, so a whole family fits | Small, so the birds’ own warmth fills it |
| Walls | Thin boards with air holes and gaps | Thick, tightly packed coconut fibre |
| Openings | Vents to keep chicks cool | One door only, no draft |
| Floor | Bare wood | Soft bed of loose fibre |
| When to hang | Late winter, before nesting | Late fall, before the first deep cold |
“On the coldest prairie nights, small birds like chickadees and nuthatches look for a sheltered hollow to sleep in. Getting out of the wind makes a real difference, and some birds, like house sparrows, will crowd in together to share body heat. Many tidy modern yards simply have fewer of those natural hiding places left.”
– Dr. Shauna Kirkwood, Wildlife Biologist, Brandon, ManitobaPerfect for
Marj’s checklist
- Natural coconut fibre: the same fibre that went into the good church pews and bus seats.
- Tight walls: packed by hand so the wind can’t get through.
- Overhanging roof: keeps snow and meltwater away from the door.
- Small inside: sized so the birds’ own warmth fills it.
- Ready to hang: cotton cord tied on, no tools needed.
30-Day “Through the Winter” Guarantee
If you are not happy with your hut, send us a short email within 30 days and you get your money back.
Good to know: The hut does not heat anything. It keeps out wind and snow so the birds can hold on to their own warmth. Hang it in a sheltered spot, like under the eaves, on a fence or in a thick tree, with the door away from the north wind. Every hut is packed by hand, so the shape and fibre vary a little from piece to piece.
Product details
| Material | 100% natural coconut fibre (coir), cotton hanging cord |
| Size | approx. 20.5 × 17 × 13 cm, about 36.5 cm with cord |
| Mounting | Hangs from a fence, branch, hook or eave by the cotton cord |
| Birds | Chickadees, nuthatches, house sparrows and other small songbirds |
| Best time to hang | Late fall, before the first deep cold |
| Use | Outdoors, in a sheltered spot |
| Care | Shake out old material once a year in late summer |
| Made by | Marj Fraser, Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Since | Her first hut was pressed in February 1996 |
The Last Winter
The Last Winter
A note from the workshop:
Marj Fraser packed coconut fibre into church pews, bus seats and mattresses in Winnipeg for 37 years. On February 1, 1996, at minus forty, four chickadees flew out of an old torn bus seat on her garage shelf. They had spent the night inside the fibre. That week she pressed her first roosting hut. Thirty winters later, a torn shoulder means she can no longer lean her weight into the walls. These 388 huts are the last she will ever make.
Free Shipping Across Canada
Free Shipping Across Canada
Free shipping across Canada
- Every hut is packed by hand and sent with tracking
- Size: about 20.5 × 17 × 13 cm, 36.5 cm with the cord
- 100% natural coconut fibre, cotton hanging cord already tied on
- Hang it in late fall, before the first deep cold, with the door away from the north wind
- 30-day money-back guarantee — just email info@craft-folk.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at info@craft-folk.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm (ET). Whether it’s about your order, where to hang your hut, or just to say hello — a real person writes back.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. Hang it and watch it for a few weeks, and if you are not happy with it, email info@craft-folk.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked.
How is it made?
How is it made?
Marj pulls the coconut fibre apart by hand and lays it into a wooden mould, layer by layer. The walls are packed tight, the way she packed church pews for 37 years, and pressed in an old hand-crank upholstery press from the factory where she worked. Then the door is cut, loose fibre goes in as a bed, and the cotton cord is tied through the overhanging roof.